Draft-rigging for cars



L L E H C T I M B A.

(No Mode) A DRAFT RIGGING PoR GARS. No. 517,146.y

Ptevnted Mar. 27, 18911:!I

UNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. MITCHELL, OF PASSAIO, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BEN PATTER- v SON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DRAFT-RIGGING FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,146, dated March 27, 1894.

Application filed October 6, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Passaic, county of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Rigging for Railway- Cars, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

In the annexed drawings-Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the frame of a railway car, illustrating my improved draft rigging in side elevation; Fig. 2, a vhorizontal section of the same; Figs. 3a, 3b, and 3, respectively, a top view, a front View, and a side view of the block which lit-s in the inner end of the strap yoke, and Figs. 4 and 4b, respectively, a side view and a front view of oneof the stop castings.

My improvement is illustrated as applied to the so-called Graham draft rigging, but may be applied to other draft riggings in which a strap yoke is employed. A iilling block, A, is secured between the center sills A', of the car frame, and abuts with its outer end against the end sill B, of the car frame. Stop castings, C, are secured between timbers, O, secured beneath the center sills, and have their abutting shoulders bearing against shoulders, a, formed in the filling block. Followers, F, it and slide in the stop castings, and springs, G, fit between said followers, and bear against their opposed ends. All of the aboveparts are substantially the same as the corresponding parts in the Graham draft rigging, and perform substantially the same functions as said last-mentioned parts.

A pin, H, has a longitudinally movable fit in the axialbores of the followers, and has a thimble, H', upon its middle. Said pin and thimble serve to prevent lateral displacement of the springs. A drawbar, D, of any suitable or desired construction, is formed with two vertical shoulders, d, upon the sides of its shank, near the inner end of the same, and a strap yoke, E, is secured to the drawbar by means of bolts, c, or other suitable fastenings, having the lips at its free ends engaging the shoulders of Serial No. 487,342. (No model.)

block, J, which fills said end, and is preferably provided with lips bearing against the edges of the end. Said block is provided with a stud, j, which fits and has longitudinal play`Y^ in the axial bore of the neck of the inner follower, against the end of which the block 6o bears. The length of said stud j, is greater than the maximum compression ot' the springs, so that the block will not be dis?, placed when the yoke is forced inward and' the springs compressed. If desired, the conformation of the inner end of the yoke may be such that the block may be dispensed with, and the end of the yoke will bear directly against the inner follower. The timbers O beneath the center sills are formed with longitudinal slots, s, which register with the fastening bolts of the drawhead and strap yoke, and admit of said bolts being withdrawn, as well as admit of the heads and ends of the bolts having longitudinal play in the slots. As the strap yoke is secured to the drawhead in a horizontal position, the springs, followers and other parts of the draft rigging will be easily accessible for inspection, repairs, dac. This is a great advantage over draft riggings in which the strap yoke is secured in a vertical position, as in the latter position the lower limb of the strap yoke will cover the springs and other parts embraced within it, rendering such parts inaccessible excepting upon removal of the yoke.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth respectively in the following claims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinetly claim as my invention- 1. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a drawbar formed with vertical and outwardly facing shoulders upon the vertical sides of its inner end, of a strap yoke having lips at its ends engaging said shoulroo ders and secured with its ends to the drawbar, whereby the yoke will be in a horizontal position and free access to the interior of the yoke may be had from its open under side, substantially as set forth.

2. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination of a drawbar, a strap yoke secured in a horizontal position to said drawbar with its ends against the vertical sides of the same, stop castings having their vertical side edges grooved for the limbs of the yoke, followers in said stop castings, and a spring between said followers,-said stop castings, followers and spring being accessible from beneath through the open underside of the horizontal yoke, substantially as set forth.

3. In draft rigging for railway cars, the combination of a drawbar, a strap yoke secured in a horizontal position with its ends against the vertical sides of said drawbar, and stop castings cut out in their vertical sides for the passage of the limbs of said strap yoke,the stop castings and the interior of the yoke beY ing accessible from beneath through the open underside of the horizontal yoke, substantially as set forth.

4. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination of a drawbar, a strap yoke secured in a horizontal position with its ends to [he vertical sides of said drawbar, a spring, a follower bearing against said spring, and a block fitting in the inner end of the strap yoke and bearing against the fol1ower,-said spring, follower and block being accessible from beneath through the open under side of the horizontal yoke, substantially as set forth.

5. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination of parallel timbers having longitudinal horizontal slots, a drawbar between said timbers, and a strap yoke horizontally secured with its ends to the vertical sides of said drawbar, and having its fastenings registering with the horizontal slots in the timbers,-the interior of the yoke being accessible from the open under side of the same, and the fastenings being accessible through the slots in the timbcrs,substantially as set forth.

G. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination of parallel timbers having longitudinal horizontal slots, a drawbar between said timbers, a strap yoke horizontally secured with its ends to the vertical sides of the drawbar, and bolts securing said yoke to said drawbar and having their heads and nutted ends projecting into and longitudinally movable within the horizontal slots of the timbers,the interior of the yoke being accessible from the open under side of thesame and the bolts and nuts being accessible through the slots in the timbers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I have hereunto set my hand this th day of September, A. D. 1893.

ALBERT E. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

WM. SGHOFIELD, MELVIN R. WILKIN. 

